de Montellano, Madrid, Spain Private Collection |
In 1780, he was elected a member of the San Fernando Academy and he submitted "The Crucified." In this picture, Goya followed the academic rules proving that he was a master of the conventional style. In 1785, when he became Deputy Director of the Painting Department, orders began to arrive from the aristocracy, the first being the "Folk Festival on Saint Isodor Day."
On the 25th April, 1785 he was appointed Official Painter to the Court after Charles III died and Charles IV took over. As well as these Royal Commissions he undertook other work. The next two years were not very productive. In 1790 he painted his self-portrait. This picture confirms what his son writes: "He paints only in one sitting which sometimes lasts up to 10 hours, but never in the evening; and in order to heighten the effect of a portrait, he adds the final touches at night under artificial light." This explains several characteristic traits of his artistry.
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